ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR- Organisational conflict

11
TRINITY INSTITUTE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES Sector – 9, Dwarka Institutional Area, New Delhi-75 Affiliated Institution of G.G.S.IP.U, Delhi ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR (OB) BBA 201 ORGANISATIONAL CONFLICT PINKI BHARDWAJ ASSISTANT PROFESSOR

Transcript of ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR- Organisational conflict

TRINITY INSTITUTE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES

Sector – 9, Dwarka Institutional Area, New Delhi-75Affiliated Institution of G.G.S.IP.U, Delhi

ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR (OB)

BBA 201ORGANISATIONAL CONFLICT

PINKI BHARDWAJASSISTANT PROFESSOR

TRINITY INSTITUTE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIESSector – 9, Dwarka Institutional Area, New Delhi-75

Conflict is a state of discord caused by the actual or perceived opposition of needs, values and interests. A conflict can be internal (within oneself) or external (between two or more individuals).

Conflict arises “when two or more parties, with perceived incompatible goals seek to undermine each other’s goal seeking capability”.

Organisational conflict is disagreement between two or more organisational members or groups arising from the fact that they must share scarce resources or work activities and/or from the fact that they have different statuses, goals, values, or perceptions.”

CONFLICT

TRINITY INSTITUTE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIESSector – 9, Dwarka Institutional Area, New Delhi-75

FEATURES OF CONFLICT

A state of conflict is characterised by the following features:

1. It arises when two or more individuals or groups think differently.

2. It is caused by different perceptions that different individuals hold about the same object or goal.

3. It usually arises because of scarcity of resources. When people compete for scarce resources, they hold different views about how best they can utilise those resources to achieve the organisational goals.

TRINITY INSTITUTE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIESSector – 9, Dwarka Institutional Area, New Delhi-75

CAUSES OF CONFLICT

Conflict arise due to the following reasons:1. Differences in perception: Differences in perceptions, values and

attitudes of individuals or groups over the same problem leads to interpersonal or intergroup conflicts.

2. Excessive competition: Organisational resources are scarce and each unit wants maximum share of it. Competition amongst units for maximum share of resources leads to conflict.

3. Difference in goals: Different goals of individuals or groups leads to conflict amongst them.

4. Interdependence of tasks: When work is passed from one unit to the other, interdependence amongst each units can lead to conflict.

TRINITY INSTITUTE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIESSector – 9, Dwarka Institutional Area, New Delhi-75

CAUSES OF CONFLICT

5. Habit patterns: Some people like to argue and debate. They enjoy conflict as a matter of habit. It acts as a motivator for them to improve their performance.

6. Personal Characteristics: When group members differ in work attitudes, age, education, temperament and status levels, the potential for inter-group conflict is high.

7. Ill- defined authority- responsibility relationships: When authority and responsibility of individuals and groups is not properly defined, people do not understand each other’s role. There is lack of consistency in work activities and communication distortions take place. This becomes a source of inter-group conflict.

TRINITY INSTITUTE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIESSector – 9, Dwarka Institutional Area, New Delhi-75

CONSEQUENCES OF CONFLICT

Conflict has both positive and negative consequences. Positive conflict is known as functional conflict and negative conflict is known as dysfunctional conflict.

POSITIVE CONFLICT (Functional Conflict): Positive consequences of conflict are as follows:

1. High degree of cohesion2. Improvement in quality of decisions3. Emergence of leaders4. Response to change5. Increased productivity6. Releases strain

TRINITY INSTITUTE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIESSector – 9, Dwarka Institutional Area, New Delhi-75

CONSEQUENCES OF CONFLICT

NEGATIVE CONFLICT (Dysfunctional Conflict): In negative conflict, people show disrespect for others’ ideas. They aim to promote their interests at the cost of others. The negative consequences of conflict are as follows:

1. Mental Strain2. Discontentment3. Communication Breakdown4. Resignation5. Distorted Perceptions6. Competitive Struggle7. Subordination of group goals to individual goals8. Threat to group’s survival

TRINITY INSTITUTE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIESSector – 9, Dwarka Institutional Area, New Delhi-75

TYPES OF CONFLICT

Conflict can be of followng types:1. Individual Conflict: Individual conflict may also arise within an

individual. This happens when a person cannot reconcile amongst his competing goals or when his behaviour is different from what is expected.

a. Goal Conflict b. Role Conflict2. Interpersonal Conflict: When conflict arises amongst people of different

levels or functional areas, it is called interpersonal conflict. a. Vertical Conflict b. Horizontal Conflict3. Intergroup Conflict: When conflict arises amongst different groups in the

organisation, it results in intergroup conflict.

TRINITY INSTITUTE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIESSector – 9, Dwarka Institutional Area, New Delhi-75

MANAGEMENT OF CONFLICT

There is always an optimum level of conflict at which organisational performance is highest. When the level of conflict is low, the organisation will not be adaptive to change. This threatens its long-run survival. When the level of conflict is too high, it creates chaos and disruptions in the organisation. This also threatens its long-run survival.

There is need, therefore, for managers to resolve conflict. They should promote functional or constructive conflict and avoid dysfunctional or destructive conflict.

Management of conflict involves:1. Stimulation of functional conflict2. Resolution of dysfunctional conflict

TRINITY INSTITUTE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIESSector – 9, Dwarka Institutional Area, New Delhi-75

CONFLICT RESOLUTION

a. Avoidance: One should avoid or postpone conflict by ignoring it or changing the subject. Avoidance can be useful as a temporary measure to buy time or as an expedient means of dealing with minor, non-recurring conflicts. In more severe cases, conflict avoidance can involve severing a relationship or leaving a group.

b. Collaboration: People should work together to find a mutually beneficial solution to the problem. Though this is a win-win solution to conflict, collaboration can also be time- intensive and inappropriate if there is absence of trust, respect or communication among participants.

TRINITY INSTITUTE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIESSector – 9, Dwarka Institutional Area, New Delhi-75

CONFLICT RESOLUTION

c. Compromise: Conflicting parties find a middle ground in which early party is partially satisfied.

d. Competition: Both the parties should assert their viewpoint at the potential expense of another. It can be useful when achieving one’s objectives outweighs one’s concern for the relationship.

e. Accomodation: If above measures do not help to resolve conflict, one party surrenders its needs and wishes to accommodate the other party.